


Make Us a Masterpiece (Everyone's a Critic remix)

by blueorangecrush



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Didn't Know The Dating Was Real, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, POV Outsider, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-24 23:44:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16185659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueorangecrush/pseuds/blueorangecrush
Summary: Five perspectives on the hottest new relationship in the art dealing scene.





	Make Us a Masterpiece (Everyone's a Critic remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lecavayay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lecavayay/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Make Us a Masterpiece](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4640418) by [Lecavayay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lecavayay/pseuds/Lecavayay). 



> Thanks for the chance to remix a favorite of mine! These two are such gloriously lovable idiots, and I loved having the chance to look at how they must have looked to...everyone who had to deal with their obliviousness and their complete adorableness at the same time.

**Michelle**

 Working on the society beat, it’s important to remember that the celebrities you cover are human.

They’re _still_ human.  There are things that you can talk to them about and things that you just don’t.  There are things you can _write_ about and things you just don’t.  At least that’s how it goes if you want to keep your job anywhere decent.  Michelle is well aware that there are papers with…fewer scruples.

But at the same time, they’re _only_ human.  They’re not demigods.  Even if sometimes they look like it.

Take Ben Bishop, for instance.  (Oh, Michelle wishes she could!)

He’s so tall that for interviews, Michelle feels ridiculous if she isn’t standing while he sits or otherwise doing something to close the distance.  His eyes are the most perfect blue she’s ever seen in her life, and most of the time he wears glasses that serve as glorious picture frames.  He’s brilliant and cultured and every bit as much a work of art as the paintings he buys and sells. 

And of course, he’s completely uninterested in women.  That had long been an open secret, but it was confirmed when he walked into Cooper’s shindig in the company of another near-demigod, just as tall, with eyes that were brown instead of blue but just as amazing nonetheless.

Ben introduced the man as his “assistant” named Brian who was “kind enough to work late tonight.” Michelle wasn’t buying what Ben was trying to sell her, there.  She wasn’t exactly new to this business, after all.

 --

**Jon**

It’s always good when your larger shareholders can be convinced to put in appearances at your functions. 

 (Larger in more than one sense of the word, of course.)

 He’d talked to Ben, a bit, after Ben had expressed interest in investing in the team.  Learned that Ben had been a hockey goalie, himself, at a small New England college. That he’d been offered a Div I scholarship and maybe a shot at something more, but he wasn’t comfortable with the possibility of being outed.

 It made Jon sad to think of what could have been – his players had already begun referring to their significant others, and the significant others to themselves, as the “Bolts Better Halves” to make it clear that they would welcome a man among their ranks. What a look it would have been, Ben Bishop in his net and the tall, handsome man who had accompanied him tonight among the Better Halves.

Ben just might have made a worthy successor to Manon Rheaume.  If only.

**\--**

**Ryan**

“Hey, you know when I said I hoped Bish would pick you up, I meant as an _employee,”_ Ryan says.  “I mean, it’s cool you’ve found true love, whatever, but I’m still trying to figure out which one of you to give the shovel talk to.”

The response surprises Ryan. “We are _not_ together, that was just some stupid reporter looking for a scoop who saw two art agency guys show up together in tuxes and jumped to some _stupid_ conclusions.”  Ryan can _see_ Brian gritting his teeth through the phone.

For a moment, Ryan wants to laugh at the sheer absurdity of the situation.  But he does have the decency to stifle that impulse because, well, Brian's a good kid and he sounds…more hurt than exasperated, actually.  The Brian that Ryan remembers would have been rolling his eyes so hard that Ryan could hear it over the phone, sure, but he wouldn’t have sounded so upset.  And Ryan has a sudden hunch as to why.

“What’s so stupid about that conclusion?” Ryan asks gently.  “I mean, it didn’t take me long to believe it.”

“Tell that to _him,”_ Brian mumbles.

“I just might.  Put me through to him, okay?” 

“He’s…in a meeting.”

Ryan _does_ laugh, then.  “There is no way that Ben goddamn Bishop scheduled a meeting this early in the morning.  He’s taking this call, and you can tell him I said that.”

 --

**Tyler**

Tyler feels responsible for this.  Maybe. A little bit. 

He’s the one who hired Brian to work for Ben in the first place.

He’s the one who teased Brian mercilessly about that first stupid society column, and the one who left the Ring Watch article open on Brian’s desk, and the one who walked in on Brian and Ben planning their oh-so-imaginary (yeah right) wedding.

The problem is, Ben is as into Brian as it’s possible for an obsessively focused workaholic to be into _anyone._   Tyler was around the last time Ben tried to date, and it wasn’t pretty, because even when Ben’s calendar says he’s available his brain very well might not be.

The other problem is, Brian is clearly super into Ben.  Not in a weird awkward hero-worshipping way, but just…yeah.  Brian looks at Ben and likes what he sees, and not just physically.

But each of them is convinced the other is only going along with the fake-dating thing for the sake of the business.  And it’s been amazing _for_ the business, and Tyler knows what side his bread’s buttered on, he’s not going to complain about that either, but…

…but wouldn’t it be even _better_ for the business if, well, if the two of them got laid?  Preferably with each other?  It would make things a little less…tense, probably for everyone.

Tyler’s going to have to talk to them. Both of them.  Separately. Because they’re being idiots.

\--

**Kathy**

“So, little brother, when am I finally going to meet this man of yours? You’re telling the Tampa Bay Times more about your love life than you tell your own big sister!”

Said little brother laughs and has the decency to sound embarrassed.  “Yeah, it’s been nuts here, we have pretty much all the business we can handle and then some because people think we’re _cute_.  Awkward, but the money doesn’t hurt, you know? It just makes it hard to get away.”

“I saw that Ring Watch thing, you know.  Before _either_ of you actually get around to putting a ring on it, can I at least meet the guy?”

“Our anniversary is coming up.  Our first. We’re going to have a nice vacation to Boston as our present, and he can start getting to know you.  All of you.  It’ll be fun!”

“Okay, just let me know for sure when.  I’m really looking forward to it, Bri.  It’s so good to see you happy, you know? 

“Thanks, sis.  Means a lot.  Love you.”

“Love you too, Bri Brat. See you soon as you can.”

It's so good to see him happy.


End file.
